


Chest Pains

by firefilia



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, Langst, M/M, Post S6, So... I really think these two need to talk, also. wonder what sorts of future stuff Keith saw in the quantum abyss?, and I feel like he's the type to self-impose that, and Lance needs to be less isolated, and the love he needs, so. intervention of sorts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 01:58:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15571227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firefilia/pseuds/firefilia
Summary: Lance is feeling less than inclined to spend time with the group while they rest for the night after being so isolated for so long. Keith notices his absence and makes it his business. Bonus quantum abyss future vision.





	Chest Pains

Lance hums to himself as he changes out of his armor in Red.

_ Home. _

They were going home.

They’d been flying all day, chatting to each other on and off on the coms, though he, Keith, and Allura had all been relatively silent.

Keith, understandably so. He had a sleeping Shiro aboard in a pod, and was likely quietly talking to his mother, if at all.

Allura… he didn’t even want to think about it. He’d never seen her cry, seen her so fragile like that before, so after what Lotor had said… nope. Didn’t matter. He’d be there for her. Whatever she needed. Didn’t matter what he felt about it, or what he wanted. Not that he was so sure of that anymore either, nor was he in any place to be offering her advice. He hadn’t even realized Shiro was- nope. Nuh-uh. He pushed another thought aside. Shiro was fine. It would take more than the energy left in him to address those waiting thoughts.

They’d stopped for the night when Pidge had yawned for the third time in one sentence, Keith’s com coming online as he gently asked “Allura? Can you and Blue scan the nearest planet to see if we can land?”

There was a brief pause, and an equally quiet “Of course,” and here they were.

He guides Kaltenecker out to a patch of pinkish grass-like stuff Coran has assured him would be safe for her to eat and heads toward the makeshift camp Keith and Krolia have assembled in the middle of the circle of their lions. Coran and Allura he knows are recharging and adjusting Shiro’s pod with Altean ‘mumbo-jumbo’ as he called it. Hunk has some of the food goo rations in a pot over the fire, and is now happily chattering at Keith, an exhausted Pidge falling asleep on Hunk’s shoulder. All of them are wrapped in blankets, Krolia seeming content to observe the conversation, Romelle occasionally chiming in.

Keith only responds with small nods and one to two-word replies, but he looks on with a soft smile that makes Lance’s chest ache. That smile had hardly left his face since he’d gotten Shiro back.

Lance doesn’t feel like disrupting that.

He meanders around the wooded area near Red, settling on a tree stump, drumming his fingers on his legs and staring up at the stars. His stomach rumbles, loudly, but he ignores it. He’ll grab something once everyone goes to sleep. He should sleep. He can barely hold back his excitement to go back to Earth, but on the other hand he’s just so… tired.

He’d ignore that too.

He snaps back to reality as a flash of blue light happens in front of him, holding back a yelp and looking down to see Keith’s wolf staring back at him, a small creature held between its teeth.

He doesn’t dare move. He’s not sure if he should call Keith over, or what exactly the wolf wants from him. He supposes Red hadn’t been trained to bite his head off, but-

“Ao, down girl.” Keith’s voice comes from behind him, and Lance shifts to see him walking up with a bowl of food goo. That doesn’t make him any less nervous about the situation. Ao backs off.

“Drop it.” The wolf dropped the small creature at Lance’s feet, which scurried away, the wolf sitting down and whimpering.

Keith takes a seat on the ground next to him and held up the bowl. Lance took it with a quiet “Thanks,” and stared at Ao, who had not taken her eyes off him.

Keith speaks first. “Hey. Eat.”

Lance frowns at the tone. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

“I know you’re hungry Lance.”

He raises a cynical eyebrow at Keith. “Uh-huh. And how would you know?”

He hears a deep intake of breath. “Well, first of all, none of us have eaten since this morning, and I’m not an idiot.”

“Debatable.”

Keith scoffs. “Uh-huh. Second of all, that’s why she,” Keith points at the wolf, “brought you food. She could probably hear your stomach grumbling.”

Lance blinks at the wolf, grinning. “Oh. Thank you.” He hesitantly holds up a hand to pet her.

“She won’t bite your head off y’know.”

Lance huffs, letting his hand drop. “You readin my mind, mullet?”

Keith actually laughs.  _ Laughs _ . “Nah, you’re just predictable.”

Lance squawks, fully whirling towards Keith. “I take offense to that!”

Keith smiles, softly,  _ so _ softly, and Lance forgets to breathe for a moment. Did Keith’s eyes used to fucking  _ sparkle _ like that? “Not meant to be an insult.”

Lance doesn’t even know what that means, but his brain can’t process much right now. He’s too tired for this. He shoves a spoonful of goo into his mouth.

They sit together in silence for a few moments, Keith gesturing for Ao to come to him, the huge wolf promptly teleporting into his lap.

Lance breaks the silence this time, staring down at the yellow puppy dog eyes and wagging tail. “Ao?” The wolf’s ears perk up at her name.

Keith fondly ruffles the fur around her ears and looks up at Lance. “Yeah. What about her?”

“Why’d you name her that?”

“It’s blue. In Japanese. Thought it’d be funny, like Shiro.”

Lance laughs, shaking his head in disappointment. “Seriously dude? You named your blue cosmic wolf Blue? Could’ve named her anything. How lame is that?”

 

He’s never seen Keith this… relaxed before. “Don’t let Blue hear you say that.”

“That’s different! She’s the one and only Blue Lion.”

Keith hums. “Fair enough.”

Lance isn’t sure what to do with that either. “No comeback?”

“Did you want one?”

Lance snorts. “That’s like our whole thing, man.”

Keith’s voice is quiet. “Doesn’t have to be.”

_ And what is that supposed to mean? _

Lance shivers as a gust of wind goes by, and he could swear he hears Keith whisper something to Ao. The wolf disappears and returns with a blanket, Keith wrapping it around himself.

Lance huffed in annoyance. “Couldn’t have summoned one for me, huh?”

“Lance.”

“No no, it’s fine, I’ll just die of hypothermia.”

“Lance.”

“I can feel the fever starting. I’ll- “

“ _ Lance. _ ” Keith’s voice is full of exasperation, but when Lance looks at him it’s that damn smile again. It looks gentle.  _ Beautiful _ even.

Keith raises an eyebrow at him as he stares, and Lance feels his face heat, realizing Keith’s arm is raised for Lance to climb under the blanket as well. “Oh. Oh. Okay. Thanks.”

Lance carefully moves closer to Keith’s side, resisting the urge to jump as Keith’s arm drapes the blanket over his shoulders.

“You’re allowed to relax you know.” Keith says, and Lance releases the tension in his muscles as much as he can.

“That’s rich, coming from you.”

Keith snorts; “Don’t ruin the moment.”

“Moment?”

Keith’s voice gets a little quieter. “Yeah. You forgot the first one.”

_ Oh.  _ Lance takes a moment to consider. “I uh. I remember.”

Keith goes absolutely still, and Lance is trying to think of an escape route when Keith freaking  _ giggles _ . “I knew it! I fucking knew it!”

Lance turns a little, gaping slightly at this strange new Keith.

Keith smiles sidelong at him. “I knew something was up. Like I said. Predictable.”

Lance turns back away and huffs to convey his indignance, still painfully aware of the arm around his shoulders. He hears Keith laugh again before taking a deep breath.

“Hey Lance?”

He feels Keith lean into him a bit. “What’s up, man?”

“I missed you.”

Lance takes a deep breath. He definitely wasn’t expecting that. He feels his chest loosen a little as he leans his head onto Keith’s shoulder.

He feels Keith tense for a moment, and he’s about to apologize when Keith leans his head over too.

Lance has given up trying to comprehend the absurdity of the situation. He’s tired, warm, and comfortable. “I missed you too, samurai.”

Keith hums. “I know.”

“Oh, c’mon. You did not know that.”

Keith is quiet for a little too long before he says, “I told you guys where I was right? When we found Romelle? I saw bits of the past and the future.”

“Oh, so you’re saying you know because of future vision?  _ Cheating? _ That is just not fair Mullet.”

“I don’t think being trapped seeing visions for two years can be counted as  _ cheating _ Lance. But yeah. Saw some… interesting stuff.”

Keith sounds  _ smug _ .

Lance is slurring his words a little with how sleepy he is. The two of them lean back onto Ao as a sort of pillow as Lance yawns. “What do you know that I don’t, huh?”

He feels Keith shrug.

“C’mon man. There’s gotta be something you can tell me.”

“Nope. No way.”

 

Keith turns to see Lance blinking blearily, struggling to keep his eyes open. Lance mumbles, pouting, and Keith can’t help a small laugh. “Why not?”

 

Keith watches Lance’s close, his breath evening out. Lance curls into Keith’s side, and Keith’s chest swells with warmth.

 

He whispers, “Lance?” and when there’s no response, he presses a gentle kiss to the boy’s temple. “If I told you it might not happen,” Keith leans his head on top of Lance’s, whispering into his hair. “and I  _ really _ want it to happen.” He takes a deep breath, allowing himself to close his eyes and rest.

 

\---

_ As the blast of light hits him again, Keith tries to decipher whether it’s the past or the future. He doesn’t recognize the stone fireplace, the table covered in seashells, the dark wooden furniture, or the beach outside. Future then. _

_ He turns towards two small figures sitting on a deep blue carpet in front of the fireplace, an adult beside them he recognizes as Krolia sitting on a dark red couch. _

_ One is a human boy with bronze skin and and a mop of wavy dark hair, about 7, the other a small galran girl, similar in appearance to Krolia, no older than 4. _

_ The front door opens and the children shriek, discarding their toys, speeding across the room into the arms of the man at the door. As the man scoops up the children Keith sees its… him. He’s taller, his shoulders broader, there’s a scar over his left cheek, but it’s still him. Future him growls playfully and plants a kiss on each of the childrens’ cheeks as they giggle in delight. _

_ “How was your week with grandma?” Future Keith asks, smiling at Krolia. _

_ Grandma?! I’ve never even called her Mom. I have children? Keith gapes both at the exchange and the silver band on his left hand, a blue gem in the center. _

_ Krolia grins, amusement flickering in her eyes as she walks over. “Your house is still here, isn’t it?” _

_ Future Keith frowns. “That’s reassuring.” _

_ The boy taps at Keith’s shoulder excitedly, “Dad! How was your trip? Did you beat up any bad guys?” _

_ Keith laughs. “Not at all. Just a lot of talking to the coalition with aunt Allura. _

_ The boy pounds his fist on Keith’s shoulder. “Boo! That’s lame, Dad. Lame!” _

_ He sighs. “I couldn’t agree more.” _

_ The little one tugs at the braid hanging over Keith’s shoulder, gently asking “Where’s Papá?” _

_ Keith is sure he’s never expressed such emotion before as he sees his future-self smile at his daughter with love and warmth. “He’ll be here soon, he’s just getting-“ _

_ The door is kicked open to reveal a tall, bronze-skinned man with scars sprinkled over a hand adorned by a golden ring with a red gemstone, as well as a scar over one bright blue eye, his hair styled somewhat like Shiro’s, it’s own stripe of white emerging at the front. His face is scruffy as if he hasn’t shaved in a few days, and he’s wearing blue jeans and combat boots, as well as a brown leather jacket over a t-shirt with some alien language on it. _

_ The man drops the two wrapped presents he’s carrying on the table as he flings his arms open and exclaims, “Where are my little monsters?!” _

_ The kids screech “Papá!” at full volume, Future Keith wincing as he carries the wiggling children into a family embrace. The man rubs his scruff on the girl’s face, eliciting another shriek, then turns to Krolia. _

_ “How were they?” _

_ Krolia smiles knowingly. “Very much like you two.” _

_ Both men wince, Blue Eyes muttering a “Sorry, Krolia.” before releasing his family and walking over to hug Keith’s mother, planting a kiss on her cheek as she laughs. “Maybe we should send them to stay with abuelita next time.” _

_ Krolia shakes her head in dismissal. “It’s not a problem. I look forward to next time, Lance.” _

_ The vision fades out as his future self walks over and kisses Lance’s, _ Lance’s _ , lips as the kids gag and his mother laughs. _

_ Back in the present, he only realizes he’s been staring into space when he hears Krolia behind him. _

_ She speaks very hesitantly, softly. “Keith?” _

_ He turns to her slowly, taken aback by the smile on her face, the same soft glow in her eyes as in the vision. _

 

_ “I like him.” _

**Author's Note:**

> So! This is my first ship-fic posted for the VLD fandom, and these two really hold a special place in my heart, so I hope you like it! PLEASE leave a comment! Anything from little hearts to constructive criticism welcome! And thanks for reading! <3
> 
> Find me on tumblr @chez-shay (VLD blog) or @fire-filia (multifandom)


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